Treating hydrocarbons



Oct-

R. DE M. TAVEAU TREATING HYDROCARBONS Filed MaIOh 16, 1923 Patented oct. l is, 1927.

UNITED STATES messe PATENT carica.N

RENE D! M. TAYEAU, OF ELIZABETH, NEW. JERSEY, ASSIGNOB, BY' MESNE ASSIGN- fMENTs,A vTO THE TEXAS COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

TREATING HYDROCARBONS.

Application led March 16, 1923. Serial No. 625,525. Y

This invention relates to improvements in that method of treating hydrocarbons in which the hydrocarbons are treated; with metallichalid catalysts, such. as aluminum chlorid, and has special reference to means for electually carrying on such a process on a commercial scale.` y t In heating hydrocarbons with aluminum l chlorid thereare formed certain compounds or admixtures-of aluminum -chloridv and hydrocarbons' and "possibly other. elements. When carrying yon a distillation with the hydrocarbons and the catalyst some of lthese compounds or mixtures are noticeable inthe l5 vapor portions of the still as ,a red colored liquid which reiluxes' back to the still if proper conditionsin the vapor passages are maintained. Others appear in the form ozf black, sludgy or tarry materials `which tend to settle to the bottom of the still. The apparatus, in which the distillation with the catalyst is carried on, usually includes agitating .orcraping mechanism :for keeping' the chlori materialk admixed 4With theA oil and :for preventing the adherence of the* tarry matters to Atheheated metallic walls of the still.` In practice, however, 'the carbonaceous or tarry products of the reaction, including the sludgy aluminum chlorid compounds or mixtures, become very thick and viscous as the distillation proceedsl and it has been found almost im ossible to prevent the baking and coking o these products, with the result that the catalytic properties of the catalyst are lessened or destroyed prematurely and the length of the runsreduced. The attempt to carry on the reaction to comletion results in rapid deterioration of the cated metallic walls of the still. pMyinvention contemplates a method of operation' in which the catalytic materials, such as aluminum chlorid, and derivatives thereof :formed in the reaction, are prevented from gaining access to those portions of the still vto which the heat is applied. I have ound'that by keeping the catalytic material in the bod of t e oil in the still and spaced from the eated walls thereof that an effective conversion of higher boiling hydrocarbone into lower boiling ones can becaryried on andthe reaction carried to comple tion without danger of the production cf an dangerous coke deposits;

oreover, the invention obviates the use of scraping or agitating mechanism which has hitherto been considered necessary in the,l

distillation `with lthese catalytic materials and .in thus avoiding the use of such mecha- A nism contributes materially to the eidective heated by anyconvenient means, suchas 'the burners 11 arranged in a furnace 12, and maybe suitably lagged or insulated in any .desired manner; I ,A The `still is equipped with a false bottom or recceptacle 13 which is adapted to contain the catalytic material and is spaced from those portions of the stilll to which 'the 'heat is applied. 4.As illustrated, the pan or receptacle is shown as having a plurality of :legs 14 by' which it is supported somewhat above the still bottom to which the heat is applied by the heating means 11. But it is to be understood that the receptacle may be supported in the still in any suitable manner.

Superposed above the 'false bottom 13 is a deiector 16 which is so .arranged as to prevent the low of material from the upper portions'of the still to the bottom thereor` and is adapted to direct into the receptacle 13 material collected in the vapor or upper portions of the still. In the speci'c example of the invention illustrated 'the deflector is shown as being in the form of a funnel havinga peripheral flange 15 by which it is supported on a ledge 'formed in the Wall of the still and to which it may be Welded or otherwise secured, if desired. It is to be understood that the member 16 may be supported lin the 'still lin any suitable manner; for example, itljmay be mounted on supports attached to t'hje'pan 13. Whatever may be the method of sup ort employed', it is desirable that the de ector be in such contact with the sides of the still as to prevent the passage of anyf material'quantity of conensate ydown the sides of the still to the bottom thereof and that it be so arranged as to lead the reflux into the pan 13. The d elector is shown as terminating a short distance aboveth'e top of the pan 13 but it may be arranged to depend into the pan 1f so desired. The funnel-shaped type of defiector I consider the preferable t-ype inthe cheese box form of still illustrated. It will be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that various modifications as to form and shape and arrangement may. be made within the spirit and scope of my invention. For example, inl a cyllndrical horizontal still the delecting means preferably assumes the form of a pair of longitudinally extending plates depending from the upper portion of the still and inclined at such angles as to direct the reflux into the false bottom beneath. f

The still is provided with a pipe or condult 17 for admitting the aluminum chlorid material or other catalyst and with a charging `line 18 for introducing the hydrocarbon ma-- terial to be treated. A draw-olf line 19 for `the still l0 and an outlet pipe 20 for the pan 13 are also preferably provided. The still is equipped with a vapor line 21 which preferablyextends to one or more air cdndensers 22 or other suitable fractionating or refluxing means. A reflux line 23 is adapted to conduct condensate from the fractionatmg or condensing apparatus 22 back to the still 10. Preferably the pipe 23 extends to the pan 13, and terminates within a circular baille 2/1 so thatthe flow of liquid into the pan will not so agitate the catalytic material as to discharge portions of same over the rim of the pan. A vapor line 25 extends to a condenser 26V rovided with an. outlet 27 for discharging t e condensedy product desired. Theoutletmay have a pressure regulating valve 28, as the rate of the reaction is accelerated by carrying on the distillation under pressure.

In the operation of the process the hydrocarbon material which may, for example.,A

comprise such petroleum products as gas oil, kerosene, or other hydrocarbon oil, which it is desired to treat for the production of lower boiling hydrocarbons, 1s introduced into the still through the charging line 18. The catalyst is admitted through the conduit 17. It will be observed that the Adeflecting means 16 insures that the catalytic material will be disposed in the pan 13. The catalyst may comprise any suitable metallic halid but is preferably aluminum chlorid. The chlorid may be introduced in the form of a liquid, having been previously admixed with hydrocarbon material or other suitable liquid carrier, or it may be introduced without admixture with a liquid solventor carrier and in the form of granular or lump chlorid. Heat is applied to the still 10 and in the preferred method of operation, as the distillation proceeds, reflux condensation is carried on in the fractionating or condensing means 22 and those products which are of higher boiling point than that desired are returned to the still or to thepan 13 by the pipe 23. The vapors leaving the .still through the vapor line 21 usually contain more or less aluminum chlorid material terial quantity of aluminum chlorid or aluminum chlorid-containing compounds or mixtures are allowed to enter the vapor line 25, these chlorid materials being returned by the pipe 23 to the still or to the body of catalytic material 'contained therein. The vapors may also contain a certain amount of aluminum chlorid material 'which is condensedin the upper portions of the still and in refluxing is guided by the deflector 15 into the pan 13.

It is apparent that in this method of operation no material quantity of aluminum chlorid compound or mixture, constituting `potential tar-forming material, and in fact no material amount of the carbonaceous products of the reaction, will be admitted 'to the bottom: of the still 10, these materials being retained for the most part in the false bottom 13. Since the heat is not applied to these bodies directly but on the other hand is transmitted to the catalytic material through the liquid in the still, the baking or carbonizing of the sludge or tarry products is avoided.- Moreover, decomposition of the catalytic material is avoided and it is kept in such a condition of fluidity that the reaction proceeds to. completion with a maximum production of the low boiling point products desired. The use of agitating or scraping mechanism in the still is unnecessary and in fact does not appear to contribute to the eiectiveness of the process, although the practice of the invention does not preclude vthe use of such mechanism.

In carrying on the process the'oil level in the still may be held at any point desired, for example, either above or below the deilecting member 16. In one method of operation a comparatively small quantity of oil is maintained in the still ata level below the top of the pan 13 and oil vapors Y and vapors containing the catalytic material are driven' of with the result that the oil vapors passing up from the annular space about the pan 13 and entering the de'lector 16 come in contactwith the vapors containing the catalyst which are liberated from the pan 13 and also in contact with the film of reflux containing aluminum chlorid material which is being conveyed by the deiiector 16 to the pan 13. Iny the preferred method of operation the liquid ,level is held above the top of the' pan 13.'

The gasoline, naphtha or other product de -1 sired enters the vapor line 25 in the form of -a vapor, is condensed in the condenser 26 and is removed through the line 28.

If desired the treatment With the catalytic material may be conducted Without the concurrent removal of distillate from the treating vessel. Thus the oil to be treated ma be introduced into a closed receptacle pre erably equipped with a dephlegmator or reiiuxing means and the oil in contact withthe catalytic material subjected 'to the heat remay be Withdrawn from either or both of the outlets 19 and 20 and fresh chlorid and oil introduced through `the charging inlets 17 and 18. i

Obviously, various mlodiications of the invention may be effected Without departing from the 4spirit and scope of `the invention.

The true scope ofthe invention is defined the appended claims.

What I claim is: i f v l 1. The process of converting higher boiling4 hydrocarbons into lower boiling ones that. comprises maintaining a bodyv of oil in a still and applying heat to the bottom of the still to heat the oil to a vaporizing temperature While retaining a quiescent pooier aluminum chlorid material within said still, said .pool being spaced and separated from. the heated bottom 'of the still.

2. VThe process of converting higher boil- .ing hydrocarbons into lower boiling ones.

that vcomprises ymaintaining a body ofoil in a still, applying heatltothe bottomof the still to heat the oil toa vaporizing temperature While retaining a quiescent pool of aluminum chlorid material within said still,

said pool being spaced and separated from 4 the heated bottomof the still, periodically charging fresh oil into the still and adding aluminum chlorid to said pool and sepa, rately drawing- `o liquid from said pool and from the bottom of the still.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 7 day of March, 1923. I

)REN DE MTAVEAU. 

